THE RISING AND SHINING TOURISM OF CASTILLA

Tourist spots are part of nature and of course, nature is God’s marvelous creation and wonderful
gift to all humankind. In most part of the world, especially here in the Philippines, they are being
developed to attract more tourists. Tourism is indeed, considered as a very important industry in every
place in different countries. It greatly helps in the progress of a country because it’s a great source of
income for every place or country in the whole world.

Despite this predicament we are experiencing right now due to pandemic, some tourists are still
unstoppable in travelling to other places just to see and enjoy the beauty of different places. These
tourists really love to go on different types of adventures, such as, hiking, mountain climbing, camping,
swimming, kayaking, biking, etc.

According to Mr. Wikipedia, the Municipality of Castilla, is a 3rd class municipality in the
province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 57,827 people.

Blessed with rich natural resources, the municipality of Castilla has its abundance that remains
fresh so far. It has enormous forests, beaches, and springs that can possibly supply the needs of the
tourists.

Currently, Malawmawan Island is the major natural attraction of the municipality. It reveals the
magnificent view of two of the most active volcanoes in the Bicol Region, the Mt. Mayon and Mt.
Bulusan. It has an area of 30.37 hectares and is about three (3) kilometers from the shores of barangay
Macalaya.

Castilla has also natural springs, such as, the Sagurong Cold Spring, Muladbukad and Dancalan
water springs, which are still not yet fully developed for tourism and recreation purposes. These places
brags refreshingly cool water for bathing/swimming and the cool potable water for drinking.

Another wondrous tourist spot that can be found in the said municipality is the Nasipit River. It
is said to be a blitzcaling destination with river cruise as its main tourism activity. The communities of
the Gawad Kalinga Housing Project in Brgy. Poblacion are the ones in-charge of the maintenance/
management and operation of the activities in that area. Because of the care and love of the said
communities, it is now considered as one of the great wonders in Castilla. It’s more attractive during
nighttime because of the glowing planktons and flashing and dancing fireflies.

Furthermore, Caparos Peak is one of the most visited highlights in Castilla. It is also known as
Caparos Paradise because of its stunning sea landscape that really allures sightseers to swing by and
enjoy the spectacular and picturesque scenic views.

Another amazing place to visit in Castilla is the Villa Sotto Resort. It has a photographic
landscape and is a clean and cool place to stay for swimming and bonding, especially during
summertime.

Arellano Nature’s Farm is another beautiful and refreshing place to explore in the municipality.
It offers appetizing local cuisine while visitors appreciate the abundance the farm.

Moreover, a breath-taking experience taking the trail to Canjela Falls is one of the best
attractions in Castilla. Nature lovers would fascinate its fantastic cascading waters.

Another great place for the hikers can also be found in Castilla, specifically in Barangay
Salvacion, it is called “Rolling Hills”. It is just a newly discovered tourist spot. It’s free to enjoy there,
but of course, in return they must maintain the cleanliness and natural beauty of the place. The tourists
who will be visiting there must be responsible enough in taking care of the mother nature.

Moreover, the Castilla Seaport can also be considered as a tourist spot of the municipality
because many people enjoy visiting there. The sunrise and sunset view there is so enchanting. Many
bikers and riders go there to rest for a while, breathe fresh air and appreciate the beauty of the wonderful
sceneries, such as the mountains and seas. The visitors also love going there because they want to see
the ships landing there.

Aside from those mentioned, there are also two other prospective tourist spots in Castilla, the
“Hill-up Crops Farm” which is located at Brgy. San Isidro and the other one is the bridge going to
Taripunso at Brgy. Población that connects the DON PICASO (Pilar, Castilla, Sorsogon) road.
Currently, these two are still under development, but these could also be considered as “Wonders of
Castilla” in the very near future because of their attractiveness and obviously seen richness.

However, those tourist spots are not only the center of tourism in Castilla. There are also
festivals/ celebrations that truly attract tourists. These include Unod Festival and Kasag Festival. Unod
Festival is being celebrated in the whole municipality every 6th of October. Unod refers to root crops
which are the main concept of the celebration. Root crops represent the major livelihood of Castillanos.
Another enjoyable and exciting celebration is the Kasag Festival in Poblacion, Castilla. It was launched
last June 24, 2019 during the celebration of feast day of Saint John the Baptist, the patron of the
barangay. “Kasag” means crab which is also one of the main livelihoods in Castilla. These two festivals
also invite many people to visit the municipality and experience great fun and enjoyment.

All these tourist spots in Castilla should be nurtured not only by the Castillanos, but also by
every people who visit them. These places are all considered as great wealth because they make the
municipality progressive, most especially, in terms of tourism. They also make Castilla known or
famous in the entire province of Sorsogon and hopefully, all over the Philippines. The local government
of Castilla must take the lead in nurturing the abovementioned tourist spots, as well as the festivities.
The leaders must be responsible enough in making ways towards the development of these places which
could surely lead to the progress of the entire municipality. They must have a proper coordination with
the Department of Tourism to be able to enhance all these wonders of Castilla.

Written by:

LAARNIE D. LEVANTINO
Poblacion, Castilla, Sorsogon